New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-02-06

men. One lady with leg broken and her face
bruised begged the surgeons to attend to tho others
first. Most of the wounded were taken as soon as
possible to Peasleys hotel, Hartford, VT, and every
train from the wreck took some newly discovered
victims Some ten or fifteen Of the injured were
taken to White River Junction The scene after
the wreck was simply internal. Nothing OF tho
bridge is standing except the piers. The iron work.
all that remains of the cars, glowing with heat
on the ice, which neither cars nor bridge had
broken through satchel. O bicycle pin,
cravat, and various articles OF wearing
apparel were among the things scattered over the
ice. One man was taken out, all charred except
one hand, which escaped burning, having been
fastened in the ice. On this was tattooed in blue
ink design of curious shape. Charred trunks and
heads were placed in small dry-gOOds boxes At
one time were counted eighteen such cases with
their bdeous contents ranged along the ice. Every
train took people to the place in search of friends
and relatives.
Assistance was promptly given by the people liv-
ing in the neIghborhood, and everything was done
to rescue and relieve the injured. Flames were
almost immediately In the first passenger coach and
soon the entire train was ablaze. adding new hOr-
Tor to the calamity. Those present were powerless
to stop the fire and devoted themselves entirely to
the effort to rescue those imprisoned in the wreck.
were obliged to rellnquish their attempts to save
the sufferers. To add to the terrors and suerings
of the passengers, the weather was intensely cold
and the heroic rescuers were hindered
thereby in their work. No water could
be obtained with which to check or extinguIsh
the flames. The ice was several inches thick on
the river and there were no appliances to raise
1t. Ira A. Chase, of Bristol, was at White River
Junction when the news of the disaster was re-
ceived. He went to the wreck on q special train.
His story of the accident is as follows:
Two passenger coaches. the Boston sleeping PHI
grim, the Springfield sleeper St. Albans, went ofthe
bridge the end the right hand side and apparently
turned bottom side up the fall Men living near by stated
that when they got the place there fire except
in the forward but the flames reached
the other cars and then attacked the bridge All were
consumed Tweny-six persons, so far as known, were
taken out alive from the which burned Two
of these are understood to be Mr. Wesson, pistol man
ufacturer, OF Springfield. and ed" Brockle-
banks, o brakeman, but they died soon after. The
two passenger coaches well filled and every berth in
the Boston sleepngcar occupied and twelve In the
one from Springfield making the total number OF passcn
gers In the wrecked cars about eighty This Will probably
make the number dead between fifty and sixty. The
bridge between thirty and forty feet above the water
which was covered with thick ice, making 1t probable
that death resulted crushing and burning rather
than from drowning Several penned in the wreck
who might have been rescued alive but for the flames
Brakeman Parker who the forward end Of the
first passenger car felt the and saved his life by jump
Ing He carried the Of the accident to White River
Junction.
Parker SAYS that he was on the second car and
had just gone to the forward platform to go to
the front car when he felt severe shock and was
confident that the train had left the rails. lie
knew he was somewhere near the bridge and jump
ing for safety rolled over and down the bank.
When he brought up, he was within few feet OF
the river. lie saw the passenger cars go down and
running to house near by procured team and
drove 10 White River Junction to give the alarm to
the railway officials aud citizens as quickly
as he could. Ali the engines at White River june
tion. including the shifters, set to whisting
to arouse the people. The officials made up train
as soon as they could aud with physicians, citizens
railway help aud wrecking apparatus went to the
scene of the disaster Before the relief train started
the light of the burning cars was plainly seen
from the Junction, and was observed for about
one hour When the train reached the wreck the
progress of the flames had been SO rapid taat the
bridge aud the four cars practically destroyed
A few burning timbers were seen and Theron work
of he cars was scattered over the zee.
The only house near the scene was
that of Thomas Pingree. a farmer
aud had it not been for his hospitable
roof some of tho injured would undoubtedly
have persisted from cold aud exposure
Mr. Nc Carhy, who went on the relief train and
looked over the track, says that the broken rail
was about twenty rods from the bridge. The
baggage and mail cars. being preserved intact,
afforded accommodations for part of the wounded.
One man died soon after being carried
into the mail car. Mr. Mccarthy a man. with
lie child in his arms. on the bank of the river,
both dead. woman lay on the snow and kind
persons had covered her with what spare clothing
they could procure Soon after there was sufficient
help to move her to the Pingree house. She was
badly hurt but is yet alive. There were a few
Others scattered at farm houses farther away than
the Pingree place, but the nearest settlement is
White River village, three miles to the south.
number of people were on their way to the Car |
nival. Edward Dillon, q Dartmouth student and |
baseball player. was on the train on his way to
burlington, and was among those who were lost |
Henry W. Tewksbury, the lecturer, was on the |
train, but 1t is not known whether or not he
escaped.
Charles NJ. Hosmer, of Lowell a boOkkeeper for
Otis. Allen & Son, makes the following statement
took the train at Lowell. was In a Central Vermont
sleeper remember twenty-one others who were in the
car with me. knew none of them personally Several
OF them were going to Montreal There were five ladies
In that awakened out Of sleep and the first
knew was the humping OF the got on to my knees
and the car began TO sway with sickenipg notion Next
came the sudden crash and at first all was darkness and
confusion do remember that there was any scream
Ing but there were moaning calls for help. l |
found myself pinned down by part OF seat |
which lay across my hips, but broke
window somehow or other cannot tell how. worked
myself ont OF the car the ice should think the
car dropped hftyhve feet The other three cars were
also OH the ice the four having broken away from the
forward part OF. the train. My clothing, with
the exception OF two shirts and socks was torn
from me in getting out. 1 lost everything else
that had with me. gentleman who occupied perfh
next 10 me but whose name did not know was strus-
cling amid the ruins He asked to help him and |
npally succeeded extricatng him. There was lady